The winner of the 2023 Petrona Award for the Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year is:

FEMICIDE (original title Råttkungen) by Pascal Engman, translated from the Swedish by Michael Gallagher, and published by Legend Press. Pascal Engman will receive a trophy, and both the author and translator will receive a cash prize.

The judges’ statement on FEMICIDE:

This year’s Petrona Award winner is a page-turning, absorbing and uncomfortable Swedish thriller. FEMICIDE tells of a young woman, Emilie, who is found murdered in her Stockholm apartment in the same week that her violent ex-boyfriend is released from prison. Detective Vanessa Frank is assigned the case. Meanwhile, we hear the story of young journalist Jasmina, the survivor of a recent, severe sexual assault. Author Pascal Engman dives into the world of incels through Tom, a very believable character who is part of a weaponised gender war brought about by, amongst other things, misguided hatred, feelings of being ignored by society, and sexual frustration. FEMICIDE comes to a pinnacle as the attacks against women escalate on a huge scale.

Continuing in the tradition of fellow Swedish authors Sjöwall and Wahlöö, and Henning Mankell, Pascal Engman uses his writing to comment on societal values making FEMICIDE an interesting, fictional take on the multifaceted topic of violence against women. The book stood out to all the Petrona judges for several reasons. The way FEMICIDE opens the reader’s eyes to the steadily increasing threat of the incel movement and what makes these men tick was felt by all the judges. FEMICIDE is a challenging read that broadens thinking. The writing is well informed, the book has a good sense of urban space, and it picks up pace in a satisfying manner. There is a cast of interesting, and sometimes unconventional, characters for the reader to get to know. All the judges felt this book offered something creatively original that captured the zeitgeist of the early twenty-first century and it is a deserved winner.

Pascal Engman (author):

It feels incredibly significant to win this award. Several of my major idols and heroes in this genre have been recipients of it. I consider it an honour, a great honour. Writing FEMICIDE was a unique experience. The research on the incel movement was very challenging. I was pulled towards their darkness in many ways. Therefore, I also want to thank Linnea, my fiancée, for putting up with me then, as she does now.

Michael Gallagher (translator):

FEMICIDE was a fantastic book to work on. Pascal Engman certainly belongs to the Nordic Noir tradition, but his writing and his characters deftly reflect the tectonic shifts underway in Sweden and the wider world. Always unsettling and compelling, he is not bound by conventions or old clichés. I am delighted that the jury has recognised his talent and that my translation seems to have done it justice!

Cari Rosen (Legend Press Commissioning Editor):

We are so thrilled that FEMICIDE has been chosen as the winner of this year’s Petrona Award. The novel delves into the world of incels after a series of brutal attacks against women, and perfectly encapsulates the pace, drama and drive of Pascal’s writing. The Vanessa Frank series has sold more than a million copies worldwide and everyone at Legend is delighted to be able to bring this, the first of three books, to an English-speaking audience thanks to Michael Gallagher’s expert translation.

The Petrona team would like to thank David Hicks for his continuing sponsorship of the Petrona Award. More information can be found on the Petrona Award website (http://www.petronaaward.co.uk). Petrona Award 2023 – shortlist and Petrona Award 2023 – longlist  

Thank you for inviting me to your blog today, Ewa to discuss one of my favourite topics, books. You have made things difficult for me by asking me to choose just five books that I would count amongst the most memorable or enjoyable I have read. This has not been easy! I write crime fiction thrillers. My first series, the DI Hunter Wilson Crime Thrillers are set in Edinburgh and the Jane Renwick Thrillers are set throughout Scotland. It is because of this that I have started with the books that first inspired my interest in crime fiction and work forward from there.

1. Five on a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton

The first of the twenty-one Famous Five books that Enid Blyton wrote was Five on a Treasure Island, first published in 1942, and I was seven when I read it. I thought it was the most exciting story I had ever read. The novel featured three siblings, Julian, Dick, Anne and their tomboy cousin Georgina, who liked to be called George, and George’s dog, Timmy. Thinking about it now, the book was quite progressive as George was insistent that she should be known as George and thought of herself as a boy. I’m sure, if the book were written today, George would be portrayed as openly transgender. I deal with transgender issues in Hunter’s Secret.  I read Five on a Treasure Island several times until my mother relented and bought me other books in the series.

• Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

I have read many books by Agatha Christie in my time, as I’m sure most people who enjoy crime fiction have done, but the first novel of hers that I read was lent to me by my grandmother. I felt so grown up as this was the first ‘adult’ book I had read. I was probably about ten years old. The story takes place on a boat cruising down the river Nile. Now I know it is a typical ‘closed room’ book where the number of suspects is limited by the setting of the story, in this case the guests on the cruise. Christie uses this device in several of her novels including another of her most well-known books, Murder on the Orient Express. The idea of writing a novel with a ‘closed room’ scenario has stayed with me all these years. Maybe it will happen.

• Children of the Revolution by Peter Robinson

I was very blessed to count the late great Peter Robinson amongst my writing mentors. I remember the first time I met him; he had already written 21 books in his DCI Banks series, and I asked him if I should start at the beginning. Peter just laughed and said he though I should start with his most recent book and go back to read others if I liked it. He hoped his books had improved with time. I did indeed start with Children of the Revolution, which he signed to me. I treasure it still. This is a story that starts with a disgraced lecturer being found dead and proceeds to explore university politics from thirty years previously. It is a beautifully woven story. It was Peter’s influence that made me want each of my books, from Hunter’s Chase onwards, capable of standing alone.

• The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly

Another author who has been most supportive of my writing is the talented psychological thriller writer, Erin Kelly. I first met Erin at The Writers’ Summer School which takes place in Swanwick, Derbyshire in August each year. She was teaching a course and took time to read and revise the first three chapters of my first novel Hunter’s Chase. While I do not aspire to write psychological thrillers, I find the complexity and draughtsmanship of Erin’s novels gripping and could not put The Poison Tree down. I tease her that she owes me a night’s sleep. 

• Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

My last choice must be from a different genre altogether, it is Born a Crime, an autobiography by Trevor Noah. He was born, mixed race, in apartheid South Africa at a time when it was illegal for people from different ethnic backgrounds to intermingle or marry. This is a mind-set which I have never understood, and Noah educates his reader, explaining his early life so vividly that it made me laugh and cry. This book so influenced me that I try to inject humour, albeit dark humour into my novels, no matter how serious the main topic of the book.

Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson is called to the scene of a murder. DCs Tim Myerscough and Bear Zewedu found a corpse, but when Hunter arrives it has disappeared, and all is not as it seems. Hunter recalls the disappearance of a dead body thirty years earlier. The Major Incident Team is called in but sees no connection – it is too long ago. Hunter is determined to investigate the past and the present with the benefit of modern DNA testing.
Tim has other problems in his life. His father, Sir Peter Myerscough, is released from jail. He, too, remembers the earlier murder. There is no love lost between Hunter and Sir Peter. Will Hunter accept help from his nemesis to catch a killer? Hunter’s own secret is exciting and crucial to his future. Will it change his life? And can he keep Edinburgh safe?

Val Penny‘s latest sharp novel Hunter’s Secret is published by SpellBound Books, and I would like to thank Reading Between The Lines for the opportunity to read it in advance.

Val Penny an American author living with her husband and their cat in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud. She has an LLB degree from the University of Edinburgh and MSc degree from Napier University. She has had many various jobs, such as hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store. Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories, nonfiction books, and novels. 

In Copenhagen the maverick journalist Jensen has no home, no job and no clear plan for the future. But she has a teenage apprentice Gustav. Together they are hired to find a stolen necklace of an old lady brutally murdered in her own flat. That assignment leads to some clashes with DI Henrik Jungersen investigating killings of three older people.

When ninety-year-old Irene Valborg was found brutally murdered in an affluent suburb of Copenhagen, her diamond necklace missing, it looked like a messed-up burglary. Before any investigation properly started, her daughter Regitse hired former Dagbladet reporter Jensen and her teenage apprentice Gustav to find the jewellery. She was impatient to claim her inheritance but not very concerned with the murder.

Soon two more elderly victims were attacked, and the police determined simply that a general rise in violence against the elderly was the cause. However, at all scenes of crime: in the private house, at the allotment and in the care home, DI Henrik Jungersen found a single photo of a young girl. Questioning own sanity as his wife had enough of his behaviour and trying to fix his marriage, Henrik realises that he works best when bouncing off Jensen. He is in an impossible position: desperate to avoid and attract her. Because Jensen, the bright maverick journalist in her thirties and the woman with no (first) name, seems to be a contradiction of nuances. She initially appeared in Heidi Amsinck’s novel My Name is Jensen. After fifteen years working in London, she has returned to her native Denmark and true to her unique style of writing and investigating issues on her own.

Amsinck has already introduced us to a quartet of unique and unforgettable characters: Jensen, Henrik, Gustav, and Copenhagen. One city that embraces them. Three people who don’t really work alongside and together. Not admitting as such they grew to depend on one another to go through everyday life. Jensen is fiercely independent, and super insightful when it comes to pursuing a query or idea that got her hooked. Henrik is miserable, rude and disrespectful as hell, a classic example of bad cop with messed up family life. Though these two are not in relationship of any kind, they’re attracted to each other on more existential level. And Gustav, an intense and angry teenager offloaded on Jensen by his aunt, and her ex-boss Margrethe, the powerful newspaper giant. The invisible intricate strings pull them together to uncover secrets of several victims and to establish what had happened before the seemingly unrelated murders take place. Of course, we know that nothing like that is unconnected and following the trio in their quest to put puzzle pieces into a clear picture is both interesting and cringy.

Jensen opens a bit about own upbringing which I think is a nod to the hippy commune lifestyle and freedom of Freetown Christiania, and also makes a painful discovery of the events that had led to Gustav being kicked out from school. This in turn shines a light on changes in the modern society which include social media’s role. The background stories add richness to this urban thriller’s overall mood. Amsinck’s book is also an ode to the charming and atmospheric city, its past and present, as the main protagonists navigate its streets and conventions, and learn about greed and shame. Complex layered plot, with intensity of narration and nuance and fantastic characterisation makes The Girl in the Photo, a gripping read. Both books are published by Muswell Press.

A different type of post today…

Say what you want about squeezy cheese in a tube but you can’t beat it when it comes to teaching the alphabet. Recently I have been using it to write letters on sandwiches, and having cheesy conversations:

What’s your name?

You know my name.

Can you tell me again?

Tom.

OK, Tom. What’s the first letter in your name?

(Here comes a zigzag in the air)…

So here you are: T on dark bread.

Tom is excited.

Others follow.

I’m Mat! Can I have M?

And so we write and eat and afterwards there’s no evidence (and we know what happens when someone finds evidence)…

I can also make a paper boat, and am very good at building LEGO houses with gardens. But I am no expert in details in regard to human-powered vehicles and our own bodies, hence I suggest that you turn to people who are interested in and know about these things. I was lucky to receive two books (thank you FMcM Associates!) from the ground-breaking new series for children aged 6-9, which sees leading experts introduce curious young minds to hot topics. From money and human-powered vehicles, to how the human body works, Little Experts is set to take young readers on unforgettable adventures and inspire them to discover more about the incredible world they live in.

First is Amazing Bodies by the award-winning trans non-binary emergency doctor and TV presenter Dr Ronx who takes readers on a tour around the human body. Ashton Attzs, a UK-based artist illustrated this book. His paintings and digital illustrations are a vehicle to empower and celebrate the everyday person, and fit perfectly with the text which give introduction to human anatomy, and shares some fun facts. Did you know that ‘in your lifetime you could lose up to 35 kilograms of skin cells – that’s about the weight of eight cats!’? Or that ‘the smallest muscle is in your ear, called the stapedius and is less than 2 millimetres long’? Also, ‘the largest muscle is the gluteus maximus. It makes up the bum muscle!’ I had no idea. Dr Ronx said “I was inspired to become a doctor after seeing a TV programme set in a hospital. The doctors were kind, caring, and were of all ages, abilities, races and renders, Now want to inspire children to become experts on the human body and wow their friends, family, and teachers with fascinating facts.”

James May’s Marvelous Vehicles are about human-powered vehicles which the writer and broadcaster, best known for co-presenting The Grand Tour and Top Gear, finds fascinating: ‘Believe it or not, the first working submarine was human-powered. That’s because it was built in 1620, when the only means of powering boats were sails or oars. As sails won’t work underwater, it had to have oars.’ ‘This ‘diving boat’ (the word ‘submarine’ hadn’t been invented yet) was built from a wooden frame covered with waterproofed leather. It travelled about four metres below the River Thames, in London.’ May’s favourite mode of transport is bicycle, and definitely not a unicycle which ‘is less than half a bike, and the pedals are attached directly to the wheel. There are also no brakes. I tried a unicycle once but faceplanted.’ Illustrations are by Emans, an Italian-Brazilian illustrator who studied graphics in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and currently lives and works in Italy.

I read both books and learnt interesting new facts. I might use this knowledge while I write in cheese. The books found a new home already, with eight-year-old twins Florence and Jackson.

Credit for the text below and all photos goes to the festival’s communication team.

The historic city of Stirling was packed with crime fans and media at the weekend. New venue, Trinity Church hall, was host to BBC Radio 4, Loose Ends who got the weekend off to a great start with Janey Godley and Danny Wallace chatting to crime writers Chris Brookmyre, Val McDermid and Abir Mukherjee. In the afternoon BBC Radio Scotland’s Afternoon Show broadcast live from a buzzing Golden Lion bar interviewing no fewer than eleven Bloody Scotland authors plus the judges for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize during their two-hour show.

The finalists for both the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize and the McIlvanney Prize went from the opening reception at the Church of the Holy Rude to Stirling Castle to take their places at the front of the torchlit procession. The fabulous Stirling and District Schools Pipe Band led the 400 strong procession through the cobbled streets to the Albert Halls where the winners of the McIlvanney Prize (debut author Callum McSorley with Squeaky Clean) and the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize (Kate Foster with The Maiden) were presented with their awards by Kenny Tweeddale from sponsors, The Glencairn Glass and interviewed live on stage by Janice Forsyth from BBC Radio Scotland.

However, there was far more to day one than media interviews and the awards presentation. For the first time ever there were eight events prior to the torchlit procession, one during and six afterwards with the final events (CrimeMaster at the Albert Halls and The Darkest Web at The Golden Lion) concluding at 11.30pm with the bonus of a final drink at the always packed Crime at the Coo which finished at midnight. Highlights of the festival always include the fringe activities. The sun shone for the Bloody Scotland England v Scotland crime writers football match at King’s Park which was won emphatically by Scotland 12-3 and at night the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers returned to the Bloody Scotland stage ‘murdering songs for fun’.

In terms of sales the most popular event was Rob Rinder and Nadine Matheson closely followed by Val McDermid and Abir Mukherjee and the festival closed on a complete high with an outstanding Pitch Perfect panel which was won by Shane McGinley who had travelled all the way from Dubai to pitch his book. Craig Russell and Liam McIlvanney headlined the final event in the Albert Halls and a rammed panel celebrating Scottish crime writers took place in The Golden Lion ballroom with J D Kirk, Marion Todd and Colin Macintyre. Their event finished at 2pm and the signing queue was still going an hour later.

Bob McDevitt, Festival Director said: ‘I’m a tired but very happy man at the end of another action-packed Bloody Scotland weekend. The rain didn’t dampen the spirits of the Torchlit parade – in fact, some people said it only made it more atmospheric! It really was such a pleasure to see the streets of Stirling once again taken over by the Bloody Scotland army of authors and readers united in the goal of a rip-roaring and riotous good time.’

Pitch Perfect winner and first time attendee, Shane McGinley said: ‘When Mark Billingham was in Dubai I went to his signing and I asked him for advice on getting an agent. He recommended applying for Pitch Perfect so I Googled it and applied this year. When I arrived in Stirling the staff of Bloody Scotland were so helpful with introductions to authors, press and industry people. I also spent a good amount of time in the Golden Lion bar and met some lovely crime authors and bloggers. Winning was a total surprise and proves making the 5000 or more mile trip was well worth it.’

Bestselling author, Fun Lovin’ Crime Writer and former England football captain, Mark Billingham said: ‘Bloody Scotland remains one of the pre-eminent crime festivals in the world. Brilliantly organised with an amazing line-up of authors and thoughtfully curated events. It’s an unmissable weekend.’

Stirling Council Leader, Cllr Chris Kane said: ‘Readers turned out in great numbers at our venues, including Stirling’s Albert Halls, to hear and interact with their favourite authors at a wide range of events, before moving on to our hotels, bars and restaurants to continue discussions of murder, mayhem, suspense and intrigue. On the evidence of this year’s festival, no cryptic clues are needed to prove that Stirling is a superb setting for major events. A huge thanks to everyone involved in organising such a world-class festival and congratulations to all the prize winners.’

Bloody Scotland provides a showcase for the best crime writing from Scotland and the world, unique in that it was set up by a group of Scottish crime writers in 2012. If you were not able to attend the festival in person the curated digital programme is available to watch until the end of September, at www.bloodyscotland.com/watch (enter press402 as the access code).

The McIlvanney Prize recognises excellence in Scottish crime writing, includes a prize of £1000 and nationwide promotion in Waterstones. Winners are Callum McSorley with Squeaky Clean in 2023, Alan Parks with May God Forgive in 2022, Craig Russell with Hyde in 2021, Francine Toon with Pine in 2020, Manda Scott with A Treachery of Spies in 2019 (who chose to share her prize with all the finalists), Liam McIlvanney with The Quaker in 2018, Denise Mina with The Long Drop in 2017, Chris Brookmyre with Black Widow in 2016, Craig Russell with The Ghosts of Altona (my review on Euro Crime) in 2015, Peter May with Entry Island in 2014, Malcolm Mackay with How A Gunman Says Goodbye in 2013, and Charles Cumming with A Foreign Country in 2012.

The Bloody Scotland Debut Prize was introduced in 2019 and won by Claire Askew; Deborah Masson won in 2020, Robbie Morrison in 2021, Tariq Ashkanani in 2022 and Kate Foster in 2023. This year Bloody Scotland have partnered with HQ, The Times and Sunday Times Scotland and 42 Management to launch The Scottish Crime Writing Prize for Unagented Authors to be awarded for the first time in Spring 2024.

The Bloody Scotland board is made up of crime writers Lin Anderson, Craig Robertson, Gordon Brown and Abir Mukherjee, James Crawford (chair), Muriel Robertson (finance) and Catriona Reynolds (governance). The festival  receives vital funding from Creative Scotland (the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery), Stirling Council and Culture and Business Fund Scotland. The organisers are also grateful to many sponsors and supporters including The Glencairn Glass, H W Fisher, Stirling Castle, Waterstones, The Open University in Scotland and Go Forth Stirling along with a wide range of publishers.

Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival will return to Stirling, with easy access from Glasgow and Edinburgh, from Friday 13^th to Sunday 15^th September 2024. Don’t miss it!

Sally Diamond cannot understand why what she did was so strange. She was only doing what her father told her to do, to put him out with the rubbish when he died.
Now she is the centre of attention, not only from the hungry media and police detectives, but also a sinister voice from a past she cannot remember. As she begins to discover the horrors of her childhood, Sally steps into the world for the first time, making new friends and big decisions, and learning that people don’t always mean what they say.
But who is the man observing Sally from the other side of the world? And why does her neighbour seem to be obsessed with her? Sally’s trust issues are about to be severely challenged.

Well, how can I review this nuanced psychological thriller that left me an emotional speechless wreck? In the most positive way… I must also say that I have met the Irish author Liz Nugent in Reykjavik in 2018 during Iceland Noir. Her debut Unravelling Oliver has just been translated into Icelandic. Liz Nugent looked delicate and delightful. And she most certainly is. And then the words appeared and straight away it was clear that she is a formidable literary powerhouse of strong original ideas, and an incredible talent to tell stories that worm their way into your soul and stay for ever. And lead you into a complex world of vulnerability and strength, passion and courage, love and hate. Strange Sally Diamond is just that, a new novel so intense and so heart-wrenching I cannot stop thinking about it. Thousands of readers feel the same.

We meet Sally – ‘socially deficient’ and ‘quite normal but a little bit odd’ – Diamond when she’s forty-two, pretending to be deaf to avoid interaction with people in her village, and leading a very simple structured sheltered life. Burning her dead dad’s body in the incinerator at the back of the garden throws her uneventful existence into turmoil, into the unknown universe of attention from outsiders, police and locals who are both curious and outraged by her behaviour. Though she did exactly what her parent had said, she slowly realises that not everything must be taken literally and at face value. But how else could she have dealt with the outside world? She spent all her life with a caring but domineering psychiatrist father who had overruled advice and many reasonable suggestions from her late mother, and ‘hid’ her in safe but unsettling isolation. His intention was to keep her safe from trauma of horrific childhood.

That’s a huge shock and a beginning of a slow complicated process to learn about human relationships, and about own past which also is not exactly what Sally thought it was. She has no memories of her early childhood and limited comprehension of family dynamics; however, as she reluctantly embarks on a journey of self-discovery, yes, really!, with help of a therapist and ordinary sensible new friends, she must learn some basic things that most people take for granted, for example that it is OK to taste different food, talk on the phone, shake hands, change daily routine, or allow yourself to be touched and hugged. Getting immersed in this process allows reader to consider, and maybe even change, perception of a person with autistic traits.

Intricate plotting and complex links between various characters, plus two timelines establish a disturbing picture of intertwined lives in Ireland and in New Zealand. In this context the author brings a whole raft of small and big details that create a sense of dread and sensitivity. The social settings complement each other and show similarities and differences between attitudes in parenting. Dual plot lines focus on current day’s strange Sally and dysfunctional upbringing of strange Peter, and analyse roles of a father and a mother.

’His car was old. I could see he was wearing jeans with a shirt and tie. I couldn’t see his shoes. But you can’t  judge a book by its cover, or a kidnapping rapist by the smile on his face.

No thank you. I don’t take lifts from strangers’

I deliberately do not want to write more about the plot as the unfolding horrendous past, glimpsed from letters left by Sally’s adoptive father, and then from conversations with distant family members, is the key to the understanding her personality and deep layers of hidden emotions within. Grief, trauma, longing, anger and love. Vulnerability that can explode in rage. All these – and no sense of security, no feeling of safe belonging. This devastating story has moments of true connection, optimism and laughter, moments of awkward encounters and childlike purity and naivety. The culmination of realising the truth did not appear to bring closure, and Sally’s story concludes with another hurdle showing difficulty of finding inner peace and some contentment. Although Liz Nugent explores evil and aspects of seriously damaged humans, she does it with compassion and empathy. She takes her heroine to the hell and back and hopes for some salvation for her.

Liz Nugent will appear at Bloody Scotland – International Crime Writing Festival on 16^th September. If you are lucky to be in Stirling at the that time, you must please join her in conversation with Lisa Jewell. Tickets are here: Bloody Scotland – live event. Or get your ticket to catch up with the event online Bloody Scotland – online. It’s going to be an unforgettable experience. Thank you Bloody Scotland for the invitation to join the festival blog tour.

Outstanding crime fiction from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland shortlisted for the 2023 Petrona Award.

Seven impressive crime novels from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland have been shortlisted for the 2023 Petrona Award for the Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year. The shortlist is announced today, Thursday 7 September and is as follows:

Pascal Engman – FEMICIDE tr. Michael Gallagher (Sweden, Legend Press)

Anne Mette Hancock – THE CORPSE FLOWER tr. Tara F Chace (Denmark, Swift Press)

Håkan  Nesser – THE AXE WOMAN tr. Sarah Death (Sweden, Mantle)

Petra Rautiainen – LAND OF SNOW AND ASHES tr. David Hackston (Finland, Pushkin Press)

Joachim B Schmidt – KALMANN tr. Jamie Lee Searle (Switzerland, Bitter Lemon Press)

Lilja Sigurðardóttir – RED AS BLOOD tr. Quentin Bates (Iceland, Orenda Books)

Gunnar Staalesen – BITTER FLOWERS tr. Don Bartlett (Norway, Orenda Books)

The winning title will be announced on 5 October 2023.
The Petrona Award is open to crime fiction in translation, either written by a Scandinavian author or set in Scandinavia, and published in the UK in the previous calendar year. The Petrona team would like to thank our sponsor, David Hicks, for his continued generous support of the Award.

 The judges’ comments on the shortlist:

There were 43 entries for the 2023 Petrona Award from six countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland). There were twenty-one female, nineteen male, two female/male pairs and one male/male pair of authors. The novels were translated by 22 translators and submitted by 22 publishers / imprints. This year’s Petrona Award shortlist sees Sweden represented with two novels and Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland with one novel each. The judges selected the shortlist from a particularly strong pool of candidates with the shortlisted titles ranging from police procedural and private investigator to historical.

As ever, we are extremely grateful to the seven translators whose expertise and skill have allowed readers to access these outstanding examples of Scandinavian crime fiction, and to the publishers who continue to champion and support translated fiction.

The judges’ comments on each of the shortlisted titles:

Pascal Engman – FEMICIDE tr. Michael Gallagher (Sweden, Legend Press)

FEMICIDE is a page turning, absorbing, thriller featuring Detective Vanessa Frank. A young woman is found murdered in her apartment in the same week her violent ex-boyfriend is released from prison. Meanwhile, we hear the story of Jasmina, a survivor of a recent severe sexual assault. Engman dives into the world of incels through Tom, a very believable character who is part of a weaponised gender war.

As expected this is not a comfortable read, addressing the whole incel phenomenon which is of growing concern. The well written characters and increasingly tense plot strands keep the reader absorbed as the story comes to a pinnacle as the attacks against women escalate.

Anne Mette Hancock – THE CORPSE FLOWER tr. Tara F Chace (Denmark, Swift Press)

Journalist Heloise Kaldan is trapped in a nightmare. One of her sources has been caught lying. Then she receives a cryptic letter from Anna Kiel, wanted for murder, but not seen by anyone in three years. When the reporter who first wrote about the case is found murdered, detective Erik Schafer comes up with the first lead. Has Kiel struck again? As Kaldan starts digging deeper she realises that to tell Kiel’s story she will have to revisit her own dark past.

A dark and compelling story with echoes of Stieg Larsson’s THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, this is an exceptionally strong start to the series, with a balanced blend of journalistic detection, psychological thriller and police procedural.

Håkan Nesser – THE AXE WOMAN tr. Sarah Death (Sweden, Mantle)

The fifth and final Inspector Gunnar Barbarotti novel from Håkan Nesser, sees Barbarotti returning to work after a personal tragedy and tasked with the investigation of a cold case, based on the unexplained disappearance of Arnold Morinder five years previously. Morinder’s former partner Ellen Bjarnebo, who had been previously convicted of the brutal murder of her first husband, is sought by Barbarotti for more information, but she too has disappeared.

Håkan Nesser’s credentials as a superior storyteller are once more in evidence in THE AXE WOMAN, with its impressive narrative arc and peerless characterisation, coupled with a perceptive translation by Sarah Death.

Petra Rautiainen – LAND OF SNOW AND ASHES tr. David Hackston (Finland, Pushkin Press)

LAND OF SNOW AND ASHES is set at a prison camp in Finnish Lapland in 1944 during the occupation by Nazi Germany, and in 1947 when journalist Inkeri arrives in remote Enontekiö on an assignment to chart the area’s social development. She gets to know the small community, discovers disturbing silenced crimes, and tries to find out what happened to her missing husband. Rautiainen weaves in the elements of Finland’s recent hidden history in the European context, and gives voice to the Sámi people, while Inkeri’s personal investigation shows the painful truths of human brutality and the cost of survival in extreme conditions.

A harsh yet beautiful landscape adds to the mystery and allows for reflection and thought in this striking historical but contemporary novel.

Joachim B Schmidt – KALMANN tr. Jamie Lee Searle (Switzerland, Bitter Lemon Press)

A local hotel owner and entrepreneur has gone missing, then Kalmann Odinsson discovers a pool of blood in the snow in the quiet village of Raufarhofn. Kalmann is an engaging, highly observant, neurodiverse character who sees the world his own way and who can easily become overwhelmed. He hunts and makes fermented shark and his usually quiet life in the small community falls into turmoil as the police arrive to investigate formally.

This quirky Icelandic story quickly draws the reader in, and information is revealed slowly as the mystery is solved. KALMANN is a beautifully written, absorbing, character-driven tale set in a rich Icelandic landscape.

Lilja Sigurðardóttir – RED AS BLOOD tr. Quentin Bates (Iceland, Orenda Books)

Following the events in COLD AS HELL, the UK-based financial investigator Áróra Jónsdóttir still searches for her sister Ísafold in Iceland, now convinced she will only find her sister’s body. Teaming again with Daníel, an old family friend and a detective, she becomes involved in the murky, violent, criminal underworld when the entrepreneur Flosi’s wife gets kidnapped.

The chilling scenery and tight plotting with unexpected twists propel the novel into the uncommon sphere of financial crime mixed with a strong sense of unease and danger. The writing is sharp, intelligent and witty, and the characters authentic. Sigurðardóttir surprises at every step with her exciting style, faultlessly brought into English by Quentin Bates.

Gunnar Staalesen – BITTER FLOWERS tr. Don Bartlett (Norway, Orenda Books)

BITTER FLOWERS is set in Norway in the 1980s during the heated atmosphere of toxic waste environmental protests. Private investigator Varg Veum is just out of rehab for his alcoholism. The story starts with a body found under suspicious circumstances in a swimming pool. The lifestyle of the rich, their power and the privilege their money affords them comes into question.

Staalesen is an expert at making his characters just complex enough that the reader can empathise with the human condition in the majority of them. BITTER FLOWERS is finely crafted and translated giving the reader a clear sense of location and an array of vivid characters to spend their time with.

The judges

Jackie Farrant – creator of RAVEN CRIME READS and a bookseller/ Area Commercial Support for a major book chain in the UK. Miriam Owen – founder of the NORDIC NOIR blog, passionate about the arts, she moderates author panels and provides support at crime fiction festivals. Ewa Sherman – translator and writer, and blogger at NORDIC LIGHTHOUSE.

Award administrator
Karen Meek – owner of the EURO CRIME blog and website.
Further information can be found on the Petrona Award website: http://www.petronaaward.co.uk

Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival today reveals the finalists for the McIlvanney Prize 2023.  Judges for the McIlvanney Prize 2023 – BBC Scotland presenter, Bryan Burnett; former editor of The Sunday Times Scotland, Jason Allardyce and Category Manager for Waterstones, Angie Crawford – are unanimous in their praise for all four books:
Callum McSorley – Squeaky Clean (Pushkin) – ‘A wonderfully rich and funny new voice in Scottish crime. McSorley has created characters you invest in and plot that keeps you hooked right from the start.’ 
Denise Mina – The Second Murderer (Vintage) – ‘Seriously stylish and oozing with attitude, this Philip Marlowe mystery is an exquisite read.’
Robbie Morrison – Cast A Cold Eye (Macmillan) – ‘A story inhabited by brilliantly drawn characters. Not just a crime novel but a vivid and immersive account of life in Glasgow in the 1930s.’  
Craig Russell – The Devil’s Playground (Little, Brown) – ‘Mesmerising from the start. Devilishly dark and dripping with menace. A breathtaking masterclass in twisty crime writing.’

The list features two previous winners (Craig Russell and Denise Mina), a previous winner of the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize (Robbie Morrison) and debut author (Callum McSorley). The finalists, along with the authors shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize, will lead a torchlit procession from Stirling Castle to the Albert Halls on Friday 15 September where the winners of both prizes will be revealed and interviewed on stage by BBC Radio Scotland’s Janice Forsyth.

Both prizes are again sponsored by The Glencairn Glass, Kirsty Nicholson, Design and Marketing Manager at Glencairn Crystal, said: Now in our third year of sponsoring these prestigious awards with the Glencairn Glass, we’re very proud to be a part of this amazing Scottish annual event in the world of crime fiction. We continue to be impressed and enthralled by the talented authors who enter and we wish everyone the very best of luck. 

Personally, I am very excited to be going to Bloody Scotland again next week, and joining the criminally good company of writers and readers.

The premise of The Final Party is so very alluring even with the prospect of unease and potential confrontation between friends culminating in witnessing a dead body. But the fabulous Italian scenery! The strong bonds of friendship! Fun in the sun! Cannot be that bad… Accidents happen. Plus, people die of natural causes. However, as it’s A. A. Chaudhuri who is creating this atmospheric setting ripe for painful honestly and conflict, you need to prepare yourself for the emotional rollercoaster of doubts and half-truths.

Six friends meet in a luxury villa set high on the hills above the sophisticated and glamorous Sorrento, in the stunning scenery of southern Italy. The landscapes, the sea views, the nature and the cultural aspects of the place are irresistible. The location is gloriously perfect for a relaxing holiday, a celebration of trust, loyalty and caring for each other, with excellent food, drink and some trappings of luxury. The group cannot believe their lucky stars to be there to celebrate Vanessa’s 40th birthday. Vanessa, or Ness, is a tough high-flying lawyer and the stay at the villa was a gesture of appreciation from one of her corporate clients. Her devoted adoring husband Marcus, stay-at home dad, has planned special perfect touches to make the birthday occasion glorious and unforgettable. Her best friend since childhood, banker Johnny, arrives with wife Lana, and the third couple to join the exclusive trip are Padma, Johnny’s ex-girlfriend, and Nick. They all have known one another since four of them had studied at Oxford, and kept in touch over the years. They had also kept secrets about a dark event nearly two decades ago which caused Padma to lose memory for a week, and subsequent trauma, and which might be connected to the disappearance of a new student Carys at the same time. So, the summer holiday is not just a lovely reunion, but an occasion to come clean about dramatic events that shattered Padma’s confidence and destroyed an opportunity to lead the life she has envisaged. 

Ness, weighted with shame and guilt, made a decision to confront the past and to talk about this with others. Johnny doesn’t want to relieve terrible aftermath of a hideous ‘female fresher hunt’ organised by the exclusive male drinking society and designed to catch the prettiest girls at university. But he starts to receive messages from someone who apparently knows everything and threatens to expose him. Lana is full of loathing and regret, and Nick seems to focus completely on his wife’s happiness. 

The intense story unravels both slowly and fast (is that even possible?) as told by all six characters who reflect on every tiny emotion and change of mood in the villa, and reactions shown by others, while still clearly affected by the past. They travel back in time to their university days to explain, analyse and understand what had happened. This is an extraordinary process which leads to exposing their deep-seated anxieties and insecurities, and questioning if they could have done anything different. With a firm hand and a repertoire of stylistic writing tools, A.A Chaudhuri leads the reader through the meanders of moral dilemmas which rose from childhood, upbringing, social standing. She paints a searing picture of the British class system and questions privilege at the famous eminent university. The Final Party’s dual timeline gives a terrific insight into the past. In a way every person has a chance to look back and atone for their involvement in a crime that was never officially acknowledged. However, you can also feel that these might be unreliable narrators when their memories come to the fore. 

Exquisite plotting, attention to the smallest details and the incredible characterisation of people whose lives intertwined over eighteen years in the dark twisty web of lies. Shattering secrets that have been waiting under the surface of well-established relationships and trust, or what have appeared like that to some of them. The Final Party (Bookshop.org) / The Final Party (amazon) is perfect in its finality of deception. And here is a link to The Doctor Will See You Now series as Dr Noir chats with A.A. Chaudhuri.